The O'Shields Family

A New Ride…

2012-01-31T22:37:00.001-05:00

Over Christmas break Mackaylan learned how to ride her bike without training wheels. Mickey worked very diligently with her until she mastered the art of two wheels! A few words that come to mind that describe our learning-to-ride-a-bike process are:

Persistence: Let me tell you, there were times when I wanted to cry as I watched my baby girl fall over, get back up, fall over, get back up… However, she was determined and would get right back up, listen to her daddy’s tips and try again!

Patience: This word describes my wonderful husband! He made it his personal mission to help Mackaylan reach her goal. He provided just the right amount of advice and encouragement that enabled her to experience success!

Practice: Mackaylan practiced multiple times a day. Their favorite place to go ride is up at the school because it provides a relatively flat, traffic free, area.

Parental Support: Even though Mickey is the one who receives satisfaction in saying he taught his daughter how to ride a bike, you can tell by these smiles that Lydia and I were definitely her biggest fans throughout the entire process!!

Turning 33….

2012-01-28T14:50:00.001-05:00

My sister and I are exactly 9 years and 1 week apart. This means while I don’t remember us really “growing up” together it is hard for me to remember any of the special memories from my teenage and adult years that she isn’t apart of! She is truly one of my best friends! From weddings to childbirths to weight loss she is always at my side with an encouraging word, sweet smile, and lots of love! I can’t imagine celebrating my birthday with anyone else!

Happy Birthday to YOU!

Granny and Lydia getting an iPad tutorial from Boyce.

Who says girls can’t have fun playing with trucks?!

Boyce and Grandaddy… 2 Carolina fans!

Mackaylan playing the Wii

My new coat. LOVE IT!

“Gift cards are my love language!” No greater words have ever been spoken… haha

Bagwell Christmas….FINALLY!

2012-01-22T22:32:00.001-05:00

Well, I am FINALLY getting around to posting the last of our Christmas adventures. Yes, I realize it is almost a month since Christmas, but at least I have our tree down, Christmas cards sent, and only 1 present left to deliver…I just like to say it makes Christmas last a little longer! Ha!

We celebrate Christmas with my family on the 26th of December. This is our second year doing this and I think we all agree this tradition is a keeper. By gathering at mom and dad’s the day after Christmas It allows us more time to be together, and kids have had time to process their first round of gifts before receiving more. We follow the same routine each year: dinner, gifts, and dessert… it is great!!

You can see by all of these gifts why it takes us over and hour to open presents each year. C-R-A-Z-Y!!!

We allow the kids to open presents first and then they each choose one gift to play with while the adults open their presents. This system works well for us.

While these two were enjoying their special Christmas cookies...

Lydia was in sacked out in one of her favorite spots: Granny’s arms!

My hope is that we will all keep the Christmas spirit all year long! Why should special traditions, time with family and friends, unexpected gifts, and celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, be limited to only one time of the year? It won’t be around here!

Lydia- 8 months

2012-01-14T16:15:00.001-05:00

Here are a few milestones from Lydia’s 8th month:

Crawling- Man, can this little girl move! She is crawling everywhere and getting into everything. Life as we know it is over! She loves drawers, doors, and cabinets, and is obsessed with Mackaylan’s room. Just last night we went and purchased not one, but two baby gates!!

Pulling Up- Lydia is constantly pulling up on furniture, toys, chairs, etc. I believe she is going to be walking before her 1st birthday for sure. Just recently she has even started letting go and just standing for a second or two. Her favorite place to pull up is at the coffee table where she proceeds to chew on it like a beaver! On the bright side, it keeps her teeth a little dull! haha

Mama!!!- It was a long time in the making, but she has finally started saying “Mama!” So, now her word count is up to 3 (or 5)… “dada,” “mama,” “bye-bye,” and sometimes it sounds like she is saying “hey there,” but I am not totally convinced on that one. However, none of them are consistent. It just depends on her mood!

Weaning- This one is bittersweet for me! Lydia is now only nursing before bed and first thing in the morning. All other feedings consist of formula and/or food. I have loved every minute of our nursing experience and hate to see it come to an end, but she is ready to give it up and in some ways so am I- especially the pumping!

Table Food- Well, the little girl gets it honest- she loves to eat!! So far, we haven’t discovered anything that she doesn’t like. She really enjoys the independence of feeding herself and will gobble up anything that we put on her tray. However, she really loves biscuits, green beans, chicken, cheese quesadillas, diced apples, bananas, Gerber Puffs, and waffles!!

Happy- Lydia is such a happy baby! Every time we go somewhere people always remark on what a good baby she is and how content and happy she seems to be. They are right. Unless she is hungry she is going to be smiling! She has such a sweet disposition. Trust me, we do not take it for granted. Both of our girls are full of life and personality and we do not take that for granted. We are truly blessed!

I’m not sure exactly how much Lydia weighs right now, but I think she is right around 22 lbs. She is wearing 12 month clothes and size 3 diapers. What can I say? She is growing like a weed! I can’t believe that in just a few short months we will be celebrating her 1st birthday! Where does the time go?

Christmas Day

2012-01-07T17:12:00.001-05:00

Well, since it is almost my birthday, I think I really need to get all of the Christmas posts up! I just mailed our Christmas cards yesterday…heehee! I like to think of it as making the holiday season last a little bit longer! Anyway, Christmas morning is always a special time, but with it being Lydia’s first Christmas it was extra special this year. Mackaylan woke up first and Mickey and I decided to let Lydia continue to sleep so we could have some one-on-one time with her while she examined her loot from Santa, and then once Lydia woke up we did the same with her. It worked out perfectly! I have videos of both of the girls entering the living room, but since this post is already going to be a picture overload I will refrain from posting those too!

Look what Santa left… These girls must have been really good!

I couldn’t find our stockings this year so Santa had to make due with gift bags! haha

Santa decided to carry on the O’Shields’ tradition of a BIG box of Mackaylan’s favorite candy! I guess Santa has a Sam’s card too!

Lydia loves playing with her activity table and ball toy!

Another American Girl Doll joins the family… Rebecca! I think I see bunk beds in our future.

The morning would not be complete without our traditional visit from Granny and Granddaddy.

Lydia, Mickey and Mackaylan opening their stockings… I mean bags!

After all of that fun, we got dressed and went to worship with our church family! Once we got home we opened up gifts from each other.

Then, of course, we needed a mini photo shoot…

before returning to play with their new toys!

Speaking of toys, Lydia was very much appreciative, but quickly decided she would have been just as happy if Santa would have left her a box of tissue paper!

Around 3:00PM we packed up and headed over to the O’Shields’ to celebrate Christmas with the Rush family. This is always a fun time and definitely something we look forward to each Christmas.

It’s amazing! Santa left stocking stuffers at Grams and Pop-O’s house too!

We were all so happy with the Rush’s arrived!

These two precious pumpkins loved looking out the door! Maybe they thought if they stood there long enough they would see Santa flying back to the North Pole! Hmm…

After lunch it was time for yet another round of presents!

And then we gathered on the porch for our 2nd annual Christmas photo shoot!

The Rush Family:

The O’Shields Family:

And you know a photo shoot would not be complete without a couple of “silly shots!”

Now, I only have one more Christmas post left to do and we can close up 2011 and begin 2012. Stay tuned…

Christmas Eve

2011-12-31T10:25:00.001-05:00

I love Christmas traditions! When I think back on my childhood it is our family traditions that I remember most... a family drive on Christmas Eve to look at Christmas lights, opening stockings as a family on mom and dad’s bed early on Christmas morning, and the list could go on. It is my hope that now our traditions will be the memories that will bring the holidays to life for our girls!

Every Christmas Eve for the past 6 years we have enjoyed Christmas Eve breakfast with our friends the Caldwells. We always eat, spend time catching up, and exchanging gifts. It is amazing to see how much this group has grown over the past few years. When we first started this tradition Mackaylan was just an infant and Owen was a newborn. Now we have 5 little kiddies under the age of 6 running all over the house and tearing into gifts! It is always so much fun!

The rest of Christmas Eve is usually spent preparing for our Christmas Eve dinner with the rest of the O’Shields gang. Usually we all go to the Christmas Eve service at church, but this year I stayed behind with Lydia because we didn’t think she would be able to sit through the service and communion. After church we enjoy dinner and opening lots. of. gifts.

While the gifts are fun, the time spent with our family celebrating the birth of Christ is what makes this evening so meaningful!

And of course the night would not be complete with out our annual O’Shields photo (and a silly shot too!)

After a very long, but fun day these two little girls were worn out! It was time to head to bed so Santa could come and deliver some fun!!

Christmas 2011…. to be continued….

Christmas…. Round 1

2011-12-29T19:27:00.001-05:00

How do you know Christmas is officially underway? I’ll give you 3 clues:

Lasagna

Dickensville

and Jahpa and Uncle Gene (Yes, they count as one clue because they go together… like peas and carrots, PB & J, Forrest and Jenny, you get the point!)

Anyway, we always kick off our Christmas celebrations on the 23rd of December at my Aunt Martha’s house. It is always a fun time where conversations are plenty, laughter fills every room, and love abounds!

This year we started the night off by opening gifts. Mackaylan and Lydia were spoiled rotten by all of the cousins and received lots of fun toys! We only buy gifts for the kiddos and we are so happy that next year we will have another bundle of joy in our midst… Baby Bo! We can’t wait!

The evening then included our traditional lasagna dinner, dessert, and “caffeine and conversation.” This is the time when the men and children are excused to the den and the women stay gathered around the table to chat, chew, and converse!

Here are a few more pics of our fun night together:

Here is the pic of the 3 Boyces…. Boyce M., Boyce “Gordon”, and Baby “Bo”yce!!!

Christmas 2011… to be continued….

Gingerbread House

2011-12-24T12:37:00.001-05:00

This past week has been wonderful! Mickey has been off this week too and we have cleaned, organized, and spent lots of quality time with our family. I love having Christmas fall right in the middle of our 2 week break from school because it gives us lots of time to prepare and then lots of time to enjoy our new “toys” when it is all said and done. Here are a few pics from the making of our gingerbread house this week. We had a lot of fun even if we did put way too much icing! Oh well, I never claimed to be Martha Stewart!!

As you can see, Lydia had a fun time supervising the construction of the house! She sat in her highchair and nibbled away on lots of puffs and diced apples… her favorite food of choice these days! :)

And just for fun we set up the tripod to capture a few shots by the tree! I think the blinking light and the flash on the camera were a shock to Lydia! I’m sure it won’t be long until she is participating in the “silly shots” too!

Merry Christmas!!!!

S School Party and 1st Gifts of Christmas

2011-12-22T09:18:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we had our S. School class Christmas party. It is always so fun to be able to spend time with some of our closest friends in Christ. The Wilson’s hosted the event and it was a fun night of fellowship, food, and fun….until Mackaylan got sick! Earlier that day she had a Christmas cookie decorating party and I think she ate a little too much raw cookie dough and/or junk! “I just couldn’t stop eating it” were her exact words! What can I say? She is just like her mama! Anyway, I was able to capture a few shots before we had to leave.

Unfortunately, the girls and I had to stay home from church Sunday morning because Mackaylan was still feeling a little puny, but her spirits were lifted when my cousin Christie dropped off presents for the girls from Brandie and Brionna. That definitely made the recovery process a little easier. We spent the afternoon snuggled in the house putting puzzles together and playing with new toys!

Traditions… Billy Graham Library 2011

2011-12-22T09:03:00.001-05:00

Last year we visited the Billy Graham Library and were able to do all of the nighttime activities… carriage ride, live nativity, hot chocolate, live entertainment, etc. However, with 4 kids under the age of 5 in our group we didn’t brave the long line to complete the actual tour of the library. So, this year we visited the BGL again with Grams and Pop-O and did the tour. Let me tell you.. it was fabulous! Each room was transformed into different places and stages of “Billy Frank’s” life (as Bessie the cow likes to call him!) They have a neat scavenger hunt for the kids that Mackaylan and I enjoyed working on together in each room. It kept her engaged the entire time. Billy Graham is such an inspiring man with a tremendous heart and passion for the Lord and saving the lost! If you live in the area I highly recommend visiting the Billy Graham Library. You will NOT be disappointed!

Following our visit to the Billy Graham Library we went to eat dinner at Aunt Betsi’s and then to church with her. Dinner was great and the church service put a bow on our already perfect day!

Mackaylan decided this was going to be a new Christmas tradition and I am all in favor of it!

Parent Peek Night

2011-12-22T08:40:00.001-05:00

DISCLAIMER: I am SO behind on my blog post and really need to get caught up since the end of the year is drawing to a close. The next few post will probably be picture overload without a lot of explanation. Consider yourself warned!

This year Mackaylan decided that she wanted to take “real” ballet instead of the tap/ballet combination. She is doing really well and learning a lot. All of the other girls in her class have been taking for a few years and are 2-3 years older than her, but she is definitely holding her own. Needless to say she has quite a few “mother hens” looking after her each week! I forgot my camera on Parent Peek Night, but thankfully I was able to snap a few shots with my phone to capture Mackaylan as the prima ballerina in training!

Wordless Wednesday- Hometown Christmas Parade

2011-12-06T21:19:00.001-05:00

Lydia- 7 Months

2011-12-04T22:05:00.001-05:00

Since today Lydia is actually 8 months old I thought I should upload her 7 month post. I feel like a broken record each month, but it never gets old saying how much we love this little girl and enjoy watching her grow and learn! She is growing so fast and the older she gets the more Mackaylan loves playing with her. Speaking of the big sister… she is a tremendous help. She helps change diapers, keeps toys that are too little away from her, and continues to be the apple of Lydia’s eye. It’s amazing the bond they share in this short time! We are all looking forward to Christmas and all of the excitement that comes with that special holiday. However, keeping Lydia away from the ornaments is going to be a challenge. She is crawling everywhere and has even started pulling up in the last few days. So, without further ado, here are 7 highlights from the 7 month of Lydia’s life:

1- Birthday Parties- Lydia had 2 parties that she was invited to this month and one she attended with Mackaylan! Grey’s party had a Sesame Street theme so she “dressed” as Abby Cadabby! We also celebrated Granny’s birthday and she enjoyed all of the excitement at Chuck E Cheese for another party too!

2- Lydia Meets Lydia- This month was extra special because Lydia met her namesake. My mom’s sister- Aunt Gladyes- lives in PA so we do not get to see her except a few times each year. However, as you can see from the pic, they hit it off right from the beginning!

3- Thanksgiving- Lydia joined us as we celebrated Thanksgiving with the Sparks/Adkins and also as we gathered together with our families. Our two girls are a reminder each day of how thankful and blessed we are.

4- Crawling- Over the past week Lydia has really taken off! She is crawling everywhere and beginning to get into everything! Maybe chasing her around the house will help me lose some of this baby weight I need to get rid of! ha

5- Pulling Up- Over the past few days Lydia has started pulling up on the furniture. I guess this means we need to lower her crib and pull out the activity table that I wanted to save until Christmas!

6- Christmas Parade- On Thursday night Lydia attended her first of many Christmas parades. I love our hometown parade and look forward to it each year. I have watched this parade for many years and love gathering at the top of Oakleaf with family and friends!

7- Visit with Santa- Yesterday I took the girls to meet Santa. Lydia was mesmerized by his beard and the little boy behind us in line so it was hard to get her to look at the camera. Nonetheless this was a memory I wanted to cherish forever so of course I got suckered into buying a picture package!

So, there you have it. Seven fun facts about the most precious little 7 month old in the Upstate! We love you, Lydia!

Thanksgiving Snapshots

2011-11-27T22:11:00.001-05:00

This Thanksgiving we…..

smiled a lot as we took time to remember how blessed we really are,

spent time with cousins that we do not see often enough,

enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by these two very special sisters,

posed for lots of pictures,

and played games and made wish lists to pass the time between the meal and dessert!

We also….

gathered together with family and friends old and new,

spent time circled around the table swapping stories,

found comfort in a familiar lap after a long day,

and remembered that we should follow our matriarch’s example and turn Thanksgiving into Thanks-living!!!

Teachers Just Wanna Have Fun

2011-11-23T22:07:00.001-05:00

On Monday night I met a group of my teacher friends at the Japanese Steak House for dinner and a book/ornament exchange. We had such a wonderful time talking, laughing; just being together and kicking off the holiday season. I feel so blessed to work with colleagues that I also consider friends!

Now, this post would not be complete with out a song. So, in your best Cindy Lauper voice sing with me….

When the workin’ day is done

Oh, Teachers, just wanna have fu-un

Oh, Teachers, just wanna have fun!

What We’ve Been Up To…

2011-11-20T22:30:00.001-05:00

1. Operation Christmas Child- Mackaylan and I had a fun time shopping for 2 boxes this year. We packed one box for a 2-4 year old girl and one for a 6-8 year old girl. The dollar spot at Target was our best friend! However, next year I will take the box in with us so that we can make sure everything we buy actually fits in the box. It’s safe to say we went a little overboard, but you know “gifts” is my love language!! This year we also printed labels off online so that we can track our box and see which country it ends up in. We wrote a letter to go with Mackaylan’s box and I really hope she receives a letter back. Only time will tell….

2. Granny’s Birthday- Last Sunday we went to my sister’s house after church to celebrate my mother’s birthday. We enjoyed a delicious meal and a fun time together with our family. My mom is one of my very best friends so it was nice to be able to take time to celebrate her life and all that she means to each and every one of us!

3. Lydia & Lydia- This past week was very hard for my family as we all gathered together to mourn the death of my “Papa.” While his death was unexpected and hard to accept, it did allow for us to spend a lot of time with our family and friends- those we love most. My Aunt Gladyes and Uncle Greg came in from PA so Lydia was finally able to meet her namesake! It was a sweet introduction and as you can see they hit it off from the start!

4. Adkins/Sparks/O’Shields Annual Thanksgiving Feast- When Mickey and I first got married we lived in Woodruff. While we were there we met 2 very special families that have become some of our very best friends! Each year we get together the Saturday before Thanksgiving for a special meal and time together. One of our traditions from this event is the passing of the pilgrim, and this year he was passed to us!

5. Impromptu Photo Shoot- After church today we spent some time with our very best friends- The Greene’s. Dawn loves to take pictures and has a definite knack for photography so she was more than willing to help me out and snap a few shots of our family so I can hopefully get Christmas cards out before January!

So, there you have it. The past 2 weeks in a nutshell! Life has been crazy, but I wouldn’t want to have it any other way!

Let’s Go Daddy!

2011-11-05T22:19:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday, we all packed up and headed up to Shelby for Mick’s last race of this 4-wheeler racing season! This was Lydia’s first race outside of utero and she seemed to have a fun time!

Mickey raced really well, and despite his rough start he ended up finishing 4th which put him in 2nd place overall in his class for the season.

The best thing about Mickey’s 4-wheeler racing hobby is that it provides a great opportunity for us to spend time together as a family. Mickey’s mom, dad, and sister usually always attend the races as well. We have a fun time traveling, eating, and cheering Mick on to victory together! And I must be honest, it is very helpful to have extra hands to help out with the girls and loading and unloading the 4-wheeler and all of the other “pit” essentials!

Way to go, Mick! We are all so proud of you and love you very much!

Halloween Stroll

2011-11-03T21:33:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday our hometown had its Annual Halloween Stroll. It is sponsored by the downtown business association, and is a fun even for the entire family. They had everything from a local band playing at the Fire Department to trick-or-treating on Main Street.

Mackaylan decided she wanted to go as a movie star, and in doing so she asked me to fix her hair and put on a touch of makeup (mascara and lip gloss!) It was fun getting her ready! After a lot of searching I found the clown costume that Mackaylan wore on her first Halloween so that is what Lydia wore. They both looked adorable!

Beside the fact that it was a little cool that night it was a great evening spent with our family and friends. Events like this remind me of why I love living in a small town: It is special to be able to walk down the street and always see a familiar face and friendly smile!

More Halloween festivities coming soon…..

Wordless Wednesday- Tacky Day

2011-11-01T22:18:00.001-04:00

Last week was Red Ribbon Week at school. On Friday, we wrapped up the week with Tacky Day. Mackaylan was very proud of her tacky outfit and had it picked out days in advance! These pictures just prove that you can definitely be tacky AND cute!!!!

Spectacular 6 Months

2011-10-28T17:02:00.001-04:00

Well, I thought I should get Lydia’s 6 month post written since she will actually be 7 months next week! It’s so hard for me to believe that this little girl is already 1/2 a year old. To keep this post interesting, I thought I would take each letter in her first name to create a sentence starter that would share a bit of information about her:

Loves to… eat! I haven’t found a food yet that she doesn’t like. She

eats a few tablespoons of cereal each morning with a jar of fruit, and a jar of fruit and a veggie at night. She is still nursing when we are together and I am really dreading the day when it is over. It has definitely been a tremendous bonding experience for us and I am so glad that I have stuck with it!

You can find her wearing.. a size 6-9 months clothes, size 2 diapers,

and a bib! I think I have written this before, but Mackaylan hardly ever wore a bib except when she was eating. I always wondered why all of the little outfits included a bib that matched. Well, now I know! Lydia is such a drooler. Sometimes she will go through 3 bibs a day! Crazy!

D id you know… Lydia is cutting her 4th tooth? Her two teeth on

the bottom are completely in, and the two on the top have broken through the gum and are coming in slowly but surely!

I love it when… she smiles, laughs, and babbles! She is such a happy

baby and I do not take that for granted. I have a feeling that she is going to be a talker like her big sis! I have been working on sign language with her and am looking forward to the day when she signs her first word. I have a sneaky feeling it may be very soon! So far we are working on “eat,” “mommy", and “more.”

A few firsts… This month was a busy month. Lydia attended her first

volleyball game to see Aunt Betsi coach,

celebrated her daddy’s 32nd birthday,

watched her first parade.

splashed in the water at Great Wolf Lodge,

and so much more!!

One Super Scavenger Hunt

2011-10-22T22:10:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Mickey and I surprised the girls with a special getaway to Great Wolf Lodge! All Mackaylan knew was that we were having Family Fun Day and that she would be given clues along the way as to our final destination. As far as Lydia was concerned, she was all smiles as usual! So, after getting poems written and bags packed we set off on our way!

The first poem let the girls know that we were ready to get the day started, and it also informed them that they would receive the first clue once we had departed.

Mackaylan received a game and Clue #2 just a few miles down the road. Clue #2 told her she should would receive the next bit of information when we stopped for lunch. It also let her know that the item she would receive she was sure to like a bunch!

We stopped for lunch in Gastonia at Longhorn and it was delicious! There Mackaylan received her next prize which was a wallet and some cash along with a poem about Clue #3.

Clue #2 told her that she would receive the third and final clue when she saw an airplane flying low. Usually when we go through Charlotte we see lots of airplanes coming in and out of the airport. However, yesterday we only saw 1, and if Mackaylan would not have pointed it out we would have totally missed it. She was ready for her final clue!!!

Along with Clue #3 she received a lollipop. The poem explained that the first letter of the three items she received were the initials to our final destination: G for game, W for wallet, and L for lollipop: GWL- Great Wolf Lodge!!

It took her a minute to realize that we were really just a few short minutes away from Great Wolf Lodge, but once she did she was so excited!

During the month of October, it is Howl-o-ween at the Lodge which means there is trick-or-treating, hayrides, pumpkin painting, and “scary” story time along with the normal fun of the waterslides.

Once we got checked in we suited up and headed down to the waterpark for some fun! NOTE: Lydia didn’t wear this suit, but we took advantage of a photo op while we could! ha

Down in the waterpark we took turns riding rides with Mackaylan and spending time at the water’s edge with “Little Bit!” Both of the girls LOVE the water so this was a perfect getaway. I thought it was hilarious that we saw 3 other families from CGS at “The Lodge!” It’s a small world!

Last night, we enjoyed some time trick-or-treating throughout the lodge, dinner, and a “scary” story time with Violet the wolf. I just love these two purrfect girls!!

After a good night’s sleep (we were all in the bed asleep by 9:30PM!) we were up bright and early to hit the waterpark before returning home. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast complete with Dunkin’ Doughnuts and were joined by Aunt Betsi for our morning adventures which made out trip complete!

We all enjoyed riding the slides, splashing in the water, and time away to focus on our family. Mickey has been working crazy hours so this getaway was what everyone needed! I knew it was all worthwhile when Mackaylan took my hand on the way to ride one of the slides and said, “Mama, thanks for bringing us here!” Priceless!

Before leaving we took advantage of the fall décor and I snapped this adorable picture of my two favorite girls!!! We tried to get a family shot as well, but it didn’t turn out. I guess we will have to to to the pumpkin patch now just so we can get a family photo! haha

What a perfect fall break!!!

Mickey’s 32nd Birthday!

2011-10-14T22:47:00.001-04:00

This week we celebrated Mickey’s birthday. His work schedule has been c-r-a-z-y lately so we kept things pretty low key with dinner at home, cake, and gifts!! You will be able to see by the pictures that Mackaylan “dressed up in her fancy clothes” for the party, and of course Lydia was all smiles on her daddy’s special day! Here are a few pics from our fun night together:

The Birthday Boy

Gifts!!

CAKE!!

Does the wish come true if it’s not your birthday? :)

She’s all smiles!

Lydia and Grams

Mackaylan and Pop-O

Pop-O and Lydia

Mickey and his toy 4-wheeler-a gift from Mackaylan.

Love this family shot. It shows our personality!

Books by John Maxwell

Birthday KISSESS!!!!!!!!!

Smurfin’ Saturday

2011-10-09T16:04:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Lydia found two new friends. Somehow they escaped from the safety of Mackaylan’s room and ended up in the living room right next to her blanket. Being the sweet, inquisitive, 6 month old that she is she just had to introduce herself, and this was no easy process…

First, she had to roll and scootch her way off of the blanket.

Then, oh so carefully, she was able to get a good grip on one of them with her tiny little hand.

After that, it was time to let them know who was boss; to introduce herself!

Unfortunately, after this encounter, I am not so sure this friendship is going to be reciprocated. Gargamel doesn’t have anything on a teething 6 month old!!

Phone Dump...

2011-10-02T16:43:00.003-04:00

Well, since Lydia has been born Project 365 has gone down the drain. I take LOTS of pics, but have a hard time getting them out of my phone or computer. I really am going to try to do better. Maybe October will be the month. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite pics from this past week:

Mackaylan chillin' before Aunt Betsi's volleyball game last Wednesday.

No better way to start the weekend- ICECREAM!!!!

Gearing up for fall means a little Saturday shopping!

Two sweet sisters relaxing in the dressing room.

Sunday snuggles are the best!

3-Party-Type-of-Saturday

2011-09-27T23:21:00.001-04:00

On Saturday we had 3 birthday parties to attend. It was a crazy day, but I was thrilled that the timing worked out that we were able to go to all of them for at least a little while.

We started out the morning with Carter, Mackaylan’s buddy, from school. He had a fishing party for his 7th birthday and it was a blast! The location was perfect, and even though the O’Shields didn’t catch any fish we had a great time!

We left Carter’s bash to head off to celebrate with one of Lydia’s friends- Jenna. This was her first birthday and it was full of friends, family, food, and fun! Jenna and Lydia only share sweet smiles right now, but I have a feeling there are many more parties, sleepovers, and play dates in our future!

And last, but definitely not least, we ended our day with MP’s birthday party at the movie theater. Mackaylan was not only excited about celebrating with MP on her special day, but that the movie of choice was Dolphin Tale. The girls were encouraged to dress up for this occasion so Mackaylan decided that the big hat and sunglasses would be appropriate for this “red carpet” event! :)

Needless to say, we were all worn out by Saturday night, but it was definitely worth it! Happy Birthday to Carter, Jenna and MP! We hope this is your best year yet!!!!

5 Months….Really?!

2011-09-22T21:37:00.001-04:00

Check out the drool in this picture. PRICELESS!

I know I say it every month, but I really can’t believe that Lydia is already 5 months old! Her one year birthday will be here before we know it. I love everything baby, but I have to admit that this is one of my favorite stages. She is so alert and is happy all of the time. She just smiles and smiles, especially when Mackaylan is in the room.

This is the look on her face anytime Mackaylan is around!

This month we started introducing solids and so far she seems to like oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and pears. I really want to try my hand at making some of her own baby food, but right now we are sticking to the KISS (Keep It Simple, Silly) philosophy and buying it at the store. She is wearing 6 month clothes and size 2 diapers. I had to pack up the bouncy seat and play gym because she has outgrown them, but she just loves her Exersaucer and rocking chair.

Cheese!

She is not crawling yet, but she has discovered that she can roll and “scootch” her way to get just about anything that she wants. She has 2 little teeth and is cutting more because she drools constantly. Mackaylan never wore a bib unless she was eating, but we have to keep a bib on Lydia all the time, and sometimes change it out because it gets so wet itself! CRAZY! She still wakes up at least once a night to eat, but always goes right back to sleep. It may sound weird, but I actually enjoy that time with her and will miss it when she starts sleeping all night. I am still nursing and pump 2x when I am at work, but sometimes she has to take a bottle or two of formula while we are apart. I never thought I would love nursing as much as I do, but it is such a special time for us and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

See those 2 little teeth?

Lydia is such a special addition to our family and we all love her so much! Happy 5 months, Lydi Lou!!!!!

Lydia and her pal, Violet.

I leave you with one more picture just because I love it……

Mom, I’m done. Please put the camera away!

She’s Getting So Big!

2011-09-18T22:16:00.001-04:00

Just last week I realized that Lydia was too big for her bouncy seat. Now, this week, we can add her activity gym to the go-ahead-and-put-me-in-the-attic list!

This is how I found her after walking out of the room for a split second:

So, I took off the bars and attached the toys to the loops so she could still enjoy the mat for “tummy time.”

That was all well and good for about 3.5 seconds. Then she decided that she wanted to pretend she was a caterpillar and hide in her chrysalis:

Now, she did make a beautiful little butterfly once she emerged, but I figured this “game” would be deemed unsafe by some so we moved on…

to her rocker! And as you can see, she was all smiles!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-13T23:19:00.001-04:00

These are the people who have my heart!

Scrumptious Sunday

2011-09-11T21:43:00.001-04:00

Last week while I was reading Kris’ blog she had several posts of some of her favorite quick and simple meals for “Real Moms.” One recipe in particular caught my eye: Biscuit Waffles! You see, I love breakfast food… cereal, muffins, cinnamon rolls, eggs, sausage, pancakes, etc. The only problem is I barely have enough time in the mornings to spread icing on a Toaster Strudel more or less whip up a delicious, hot breakfast for my family. Until now…..

The next time you are at the grocery store, grab a pack of biscuits.

I decided to use the Honey Butter flavored ones because that is what Kris suggested, but you could use a different kind if you would like. It is totally up to you…

Next, take out your waffle iron, heat it up, and spray a light coating of PAM on it for good measure,

This waffle iron belongs to my mother-in-law. I have been “borrowing” it for the past 14 months! Now that I have discovered this recipe she may never get it back! J/K

Once the iron is preheated, take a biscuit and place it in the center of the waffle iron.

Close the iron and wait patiently!

FYI: I didn’t let the “waffle” cook until the timer went off. I am not sure of the exact cooking time, but after a minute or two I opened it up and this is what I saw…

Scoop it up, place it on a plate, lightly spread with butter and drizzle with syrup. Serve it alongside a few strips of bacon and you have one delicious meal!

So, there you have it. A recipe that is simple, quick, easy and delicious. What more could a working mom ask for? Enjoy!

Things to Remember

2011-09-06T22:45:00.001-04:00

This blog post serves as nothing more than record keeping for my sweet Lydia. There are certain things that I will always associate with Lydia’s birth and her first few months of life…

The Royal Wedding- Live coverage began at 4AM. Since I was up at all hours of the night/morning feeding a newborn anyway, I joined in the fun and stayed up to watch every minute of it. I even woke Mackaylan up a little earlier for school that day so she could watch history in the making!

American Idol- I have been an American Idol fan since Season 1. I was a little unsure as to how I would like this season with the new judges and all, but it was probably one of my favorites. I remember sitting in the living room, rocking Lydia, and crying like a baby when Lauren sang the tribute to her mama near the end of the season. Can you say hormones???!

House Hunters- The week my mom stayed with us we watched many episodes of House Hunters. Mackaylan even took a short break from Backyardigans to join in the fun! Each night after dinner we all sat in the living room to watch this show. At the end of each episode we would all cast our vote for our favorite house. Let’s just say I learned a lot about real estate that week!

Flooding- I will always remember the flooding in Memphis, TN and surrounding areas and all the news coverage that surrounded this tragedy. Even Mackaylan still associates floods with the Mississippi River.

Good Morning, America- During the months that I was home with Lydia I became loyal fan of Good Morning, America. I enjoyed watching this show each morning because I felt like the stories were fresh and the anchors were real. During the first few weeks following Lydia’s birth Josh Elliot and Laura Spencer joined the show. These two reporters made GMA even more practical and exciting! On the same lines, Lydia and I also enjoyed watching Lady Gaga kick off the GMA Summer Concert Series.

The Talk- While we are talking about TV, I guess it is only pertinent that I document how much I enjoyed watching The Talk each day at 2:00PM. During this time, I would kick back in the recliner and savor the last few minutes with my baby before big sister, Mackaylan, would return from school. Then it was time for snack, homework, and Nick Jr. Just for the record, my favorite part of each episode was the beginning when the ladies were just sitting around discussing various topics. Most of the time I would end up in stitches laughing along with them which was good for my emotional health during those first few weeks postpartum.

And of course this list could go on and on, but I will stop here. I wanted to take the time to blog these thoughts and current events so we could have it to look back on it as Lydia grows older.

Lydia is now officially 5 months old so I will try to get that post up later this week!

The Verdict is in…..

2011-09-04T17:44:00.001-04:00

So, yesterday Lydia was given her first taste of real food: Oatmeal. We prepared the cereal, grabbed the bib, charged the batteries in the camera, and all gathered around the highchair for this memorable occasion…

Lydia waited patiently just like a big girl.

The first real bite!

Here comes that spoon again…

This is definitely interesting!

She’s like Mikey. She likes it!

Yes, Lydia. Do you have a question?

Can I have some more, please?!

“S”Saturday!

2011-09-03T23:10:00.001-04:00

This Saturday can be summed up in just a few words:

1- Smiles- These two sisters had a great day! Mackaylan was excited to be able to hang around the house and play, and Lydia is always happy anytime her big sis is around!

2- Spartanburg- Mickey had an errand that he wanted to run in Spartanburg and since Pizza Inn was on the way we all decided to go with him. Nothing better than Chocolate Chip Pizza with the family! (No, we didn’t eat an entire pizza even though I think I could! ha)

3- Snuggles- After we came back from Spartanburg, Lydia and I snuggled in for an afternoon nap. Let me just say… it was just what I needed!

3- Swinging- Lydia loves to swing! This was how I found her after leaving the room for just a few minutes! She was so proud of herself and was laughing at her newfound position. I was proud that I had remembered to buckle her in.

4-Sandwiches- Believe it or not I actually cooked supper tonight! I’m not sure if you have heard of The Crockpot Girls, but they have a page on Facebook that has gone viral in the past few weeks. The recipes are quick, simple, and delicious. I love using my crockpot and will be using it a lot more in the next few weeks and months. Anyway, today I made the Roast Beef. Sandwiches.

The recipe is so simple:

Ingredients:

chuck roast
can of Beef Broth
packet of Beefy Onion Soup Mix

Directions:

Place the roast in the crockpot.
Sprinkle the meat with the Beefy Onion Soup Mix.
Pour in the Beef Broth.
Cook on Low for 7 hours.
Shred and Enjoy.

* I topped our sandwiches with Provolone cheese and melted it in the oven. Mickey ate his as an open-faced sandwich, but I made a regular sandwich. Next time, however, I will use a crustier bread because with all the juice I ended up having to eat it with a fork! Either way it was delicious!

5- Cereal- Tonight we decided to give Lydia her first taste of cereal. I will do another post with more pics, but here is one of my favorites. The look on her face is priceless. She wasn’t quite sure what to think of something other than mommy’s milk, but she obliged and ate a few bites.

6- Shakes- After supper we headed out to get milkshakes. Mickey loves ice-cream, and always drinks every last drop! While I’m not much of an ice-cream lover, I love an Oreo milkshake and will jump at the chance to enjoy one with my family any chance I get.

And I can’t end this post without including this picture of Lydia giving her big sis a great big Smooch!!! Be still my heart…..

Take 4….

2011-09-01T21:25:00.001-04:00

Well, I finally figured out how to operate my web camera so I decided to link up with Jenna and some of my other blogging and Twitter buddies to do an Accent Vlog. Just for the record, this was take 4, and for some reason there is a little part at the beginning where I was testing out the camera, but oh well! Also, I do know that it should have been “What we have is a list of words….” but when you are “live” things happen! I thought of recording it over again, but decided it wasn’t worth the effort because I would probably just mess up somewhere else. I know I blink a lot and have a hard time talking without using my hands, but I made it through the list of words and questions with no major catastrophes! I recorded this shortly after putting Mackaylan in the bed so I was talking softer than normal. I just knew she would hear me talking to myself and come running out of her room to see what was going on! :) So, without further ado…. my 1st (but hopefully not last) vlog!!

Lana’s Accent Vlog…. Take 4!!!

Thanks for visiting and come back again soon!

Smile! It’s Saturday…

2011-08-27T22:08:00.001-04:00

I am really hoping in the next few weeks to try a few “Day in the Life…” posts, but until then I will just share a few of the highlights from our Saturday.

See this cutie?

She decided to sleep until 10:00AM! I was amazed. Now, she was up 3 times in the night to eat, but once I fed her early this morning she. was. out! When she finally woke up for good she was all smiles!

Once everyone was up and fed, us girls headed to do our normal Saturday thing- SHOP! Mackaylan was thrilled because she was able to help me pump gas on the way. Lydia was thrilled because she rode on a carousel at the mall for the first time. This mama was thrilled because she found quite a few bargains! You can see It doesn’t take much to keep us happy!

The late afternoon hours were spent resting and washing clothes. I was going to cook supper, but Mickey suggested that we go somewhere so of course I took him up on that offer. I suggested that we head over to the Boiling Springs area and make a pit stop by Lake Bowen to feed the ducks. It had been a while since we had been there and I knew Mackaylan and Lydia would enjoy it.

After feeding the ducks, we headed to Firehouse Subs for dinner and then to Tutti Frutti for dessert. Vanilla frozen yogurt + cookie dough bites + Reese’s Cup pieces = YUM-O!!!!

Now we are home and both girls are tucked into bed. However, I am a little worried because somewhere along the way Mackaylan started running a fever. We have tried a few rounds of Tylenol, and it seems to go down, but then it comes right back once the meds have worn off. I am hoping and praying that a good night’s sleep will be just what she needs for it to break and go away for good. I guess only time will tell….

WW- Moving on Up!!!

2011-08-24T19:29:00.001-04:00

Just a quick pic of Mackaylan and Marly in their new Sunday School classroom. This past Sunday was promotion day for the kids and youth. These 2 girls are all smiles because they are officially out of the nursery/preschool area and are upstairs! That's a big deal, people!!!!

Cardinal Cheer Camp ‘11

2011-08-21T16:51:00.001-04:00

Here are a few pics from Cardinal Cheer Camp a few weeks ago. This was Mackaylan’s 2nd year and she loved it! The camp started off a little rocky with a phone call to come pick her up because she had an upset stomach, but ended up with lots of smiles and new tricks! These pictures are from Saturday morning when they have an exhibition complete with cheers, dance, and stunts!

1st Day of School

2011-08-15T20:58:00.001-04:00

Today was the first day of school for the 2011-2012 school year. Mackaylan was so excited about getting back into the swing of things. A new teacher. New friends. New school supplies. And most importantly… new clothes!! Last night when I was tucking Mackaylan into bed I said, “It’s funny to think that I am tucking you in as a Kindergartener, but you will wake up a 1st grader.” In pure amazement she looked up at me with her big blue eyes and said, “Wow! It’s magic!!” I just love this little girl, her attitude, and take on life.

This morning was very uneventful. All the girls were up, fed, dressed, and out of the house by 6:50AM. Pretty impressive, huh?! We even had time for a few quick photos before we left the house.

Last night at the grocery store Mackaylan picked out an apple for Mr. Pack, her new teacher. She wanted to take him a head of cabbage, but I convinced her that an apple would be the best choice for this occasion! :)

And I think this smile sums it up: 1st grade is going to be fabulous!

Our Weekend

2011-08-07T20:13:00.001-04:00

To me there is nothing better than spending time with friends and family except spending time with friends that are like family! This weekend was one of those times….

Saturday morning started off with the final day of LHS Cheer Camp for Mackaylan. Following the regular camp time they had an exhibition for the parents and of course grandparents were invited too! This was Mackaylan’s 2nd year attending and she loved it!

On Saturday evening we headed over to the Caldwell’s to celebrate Andrew’s birthday. The kids had a wonderful time playing outside, and the adults enjoyed being able to sit back, relax, and spend some time swapping stories from years gone past!

Sunday morning started off with 2 sweet sisters and a whole bunch of smiles! After church we headed to the O’Shields’ to celebrate Doc Baker’s birthday. Mickey wasn’t able to join us because he went to ride 4-wheelers in order to prepare for the upcoming race season, but I think after riding in this heat he wished he would have been relaxing with us by the pool!

Tomorrow is my last day of summer break! We have had a wonderful summer, but I am already looking forward to next year. There were many things on Mackaylan’s “Summer Bucket List” that we were not able to get to due to my school schedule and the fact that I am still adjusting to life with a little one again. However, just as I told Mackaylan today, summer is not over just because school starts back. We will still have a few afternoon’s by the pool and will make the most of our afternoons and weekends home together! I have had lots of time to think about life over the past few months and I definitely know what my priorities are! Don’t get me wrong, I am very thankful to have a job and will do my job to the best of my ability. However, I am often reminded that life is just too short, and there is nothing that I want to pour my life into more than these two precious little girls!!!!!

Happy Sunday! I hope your weekend was full of friends, family, and making memories!

4 months

2011-08-05T22:56:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Lydia turned 4 months old! It is so amazing to watch her as she continues to grow and begins to explore the world around her.She smiles constantly and is such a happy baby. She has rolled over 2 times, but is more interested in trying to sit up rather than roll over. It is so funny to watch her try to lift up as we change her diaper or play with her on the floor. She is going to have some mighty strong abs one day!

We went to the doctor yesterday for her 4 month appointment and she officially weighs 15.5 lbs. and is 25 1/4 inches long. She is getting so big. I believe she is going to be tall like her sister since she has been in the 98% or higher since birth!

Speaking of growing, can you believe she has 2 teeth coming in? Crazy! At her 2 month appointment I asked the doctor if it was possible that she was teething and she acted like I was crazy. However, when I told her that Mackaylan and Mickey both cut teeth around 4 months she said it was possible. Needless to say, I was thrilled that they broke through before this visit just to remind her that “mother knows best!” ha

Lydia loves everything about her big sister, Mackaylan. She loves when KK is in the room and will just grin so big when she hears her voice! I can’t wait to watch their friendship develop as they grow up together. There’s just nothing like the bond of sisterhood!

Over the past month Lydia has experienced many “firsts” such as a trip to the beach,

her first dip in the pool,

a visit from out-of-town friends.

and a stroll through the zoo.

Please pray for us as I go back to work this week. I am not looking forward to leaving her, and thinking about it makes my stomach ache and my eyes tear up. We had a “practice” day last Tuesday and I cried all the way from Landrum to CGS. I can only imagine what it is going to be like this week. That’s all I can say about that right now.

Currently, Lydia is wearing 3-6 month clothing, size 1-2 diapers, and eats about every 3 hours. Nursing is going great and I never in a million years thought I would love it like I do.

What does Lydia like to do in her free time? Well, she loves to sit in her bouncy seat, to cuddle with those who love her, and is so amazed with the mobile in her crib.

Lydia Avanelle brings us so much joy day in and day out. All I want to do is hold her close and kiss her chubby little cheeks! My heart overflows….

The Graduate

2011-07-30T22:35:00.001-04:00

Today I walked proudly across the stage of Converse College to receive my MEd of Education in Administration and Supervision. What a feeling of accomplishment, relief, and satisfaction! This day would not have been possible without the love, support, and encouragement from my family. Both sets of grandparents (along with my sister) have assisted with many hours of babysitting over the past 3 years, and their sacrifice was never taken for granted. Mickey, my wonderful husband, was nothing but understanding when school work came before laundry, dishes, and cooking. Mackaylan, on the other hand, didn’t always understand why I couldn’t play Barbies or watch a movie every time she asked, but was very proud of her Mama, “the graduate.” This degree was definitely a joint effort. I do not know what the future holds now that I have obtained this degree except for a well-deserved and much needed pay increase! What I do know (in the words of Dr. T.R. McDaniel in his closing remarks today) is that “I. am. finished.”

After the ceremony we were all treated to lunch at the Olive Garden by my wonderful Daddy! The meal was delicious, but having the time to celebrate this accomplishment with my family was worth even more!

What a special Saturday!

Flip Flop Friday

2011-07-29T23:33:00.001-04:00

Probably one of my favorite things about warm weather is flip flops, and in my opinion you could never have too many pairs! So, a few weeks ago Mackaylan and I had a craft night and added to our collection. We made our own matching flip flops! It was a fun, inexpensive way to spend some quality time together and the end result was adorable. All you need is a pair of cheap flip flops, a few rolls of your favorite ribbon, and a little time. Happy crafting!

Ziippety “ZOO"-da

2011-07-29T00:07:00.001-04:00

Today the girls and I piled into the car with my mom, my sister, and her boys for a fun day at the Greenville Zoo. The weather was perfect. Most of the morning it was overcast which kept the temperature down yet it didn’t rain either. After the zoo we went out to eat for lunch and then did a little shopping. I love spending time with my family and making memories!

Ok.. so a quick story about the newest addition to our family, “Pandy.” While walking through the gift shop to cool off Mackaylan spotted this Panda Bear and decided she needed it to come home with us. After explaining to her that if she purchased this stuffed animal she would not be allowed to get anything from Target and she would have to give me the money she had in her purse when we got back to the car she decided “Pandy” was going to be her purchase for the day. All was well in Mackaylan’s world…. for a few minutes. Once we got back to the car to head to lunch she decided she had, “made a mistake about the Panda Bear.” When she realized that she had to give me the money from her purse (which was only $3 by the way) she didn’t want it anymore. Needless to say, I kind of chuckled to myself because of her choice or words, and told her she could keep her $3. That was all it took to bring a smile back to her face. I know. I’m a sucker!! Admitting it is the first step, right?! ha

Christmas in July

2011-07-28T19:58:00.001-04:00

On Monday night, July 25th, the O’Shields family celebrated Christmas in July. Some one say that it was a way that I could indulge in my habitual shopping hobby, but I like to think of it as fun, memorable way to express my love to my family!

So, with that in mind, I climbed into the attic and brought down a tabletop tree,

set out a few decorations on the kitchen counter,

and lit a Christmas candle to stimulate the senses and add a little ambiance.

After dinner we each opened one present. Mackaylan received a pair of Hello Kitty texting devices (I told you she was like her mama!)

Mickey got the first season of Friday Night Lights on DVD.

And with her big sisters’s help, Lydia “opened” up a fun bedtime toy.

Lydia was feeling a little under the weather this week, but seems to be getting better. She has had a runny nose and a cough since we have returned from the beach. However a humidifier, saline drops, and lots of TLC seem to be doing the trick!

As you can see, we all enjoyed this fun, memorable night together. We are already looking forward to next year!

Litchfield Beach ‘11

2011-07-24T15:40:00.001-04:00

This time last week we were sitting on the sunny coast of South Carolina with the sand between our toes. We had such a wonderful time with our family and friends! This was the first time in 9 years that Mickey has been able to take the entire week off and we did not take that for granted. What did we do? A lot of nothing. That’s what you are supposed to do on vacation, right?! When we go to the beach that’s what we do- go. to. the. beach! Here are a few more pics from our wonderful week!

The traditional family shot:

In keeping with true Lana fashion, the crazy shot:

Lydia relaxing in her Bumbo by the pool:

Mackaylan and Mom:

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree:

Another cutie:

Mackaylan and Pop-O rockin’ the pool:

Despite the look on their faces, these two really were having a good time:

Probably our favorite night of the week is when we all gather around the table for some Low Country Boil:

Our ocean-front home for the week:

From the breathtaking view of an early more sunrise,

to the stillness of a beautiful sunset as the day comes to a close,

nothing could be finer than the coast of Carolina!!!!

Oops! I did it again.

2011-07-21T11:02:00.001-04:00

Oops! I did it again. Social media has gotten the best of me. First it was blogging. Then it was Twitter. After that it was Pinterest. And now I am an official user of Facebook!

Happy Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

Be still my heart.

Vacation ‘11

2011-07-19T22:37:00.001-04:00

Please excuse my blogging absence over the next few days. We are currently spending time with family,

building sandcastles, swimming, shopping, relaxing, and watching the sunset on the coast of South Carolina!

Project 365 Update

2011-07-15T17:09:00.001-04:00

Okay, so if you remember, my wonderful in-laws gave me Project 365 for my birthday. Up until Lydia’s birth in April I was all caught up and so proud of myself. Since then it has been SO hard to keep up. I take lots of pictures, but making sure that I take one a day and that they get printed and put into the book is hard work. I have got to get back on track. With that being said, here are a few pics from this week. Some of them are better than others because they were all taken from my phone, but at least it fills the page in the book. Happy Friday!

Lydia loves her new Wabbanub paci!

I can’t believe I am posting this next picture, but I am. Please see the explanation below. Mickey’s parents and I were sitting around in the living room talking when I looked over at her and this was how she was posed. I’ve always heard that the 2nd born is a rounder! haha

Mackaylan has loved going to day camp at church this week. They have had all kinds of fun with paint, food, and water!

I had to snap this picture because Lydia is the Queen of Cat Naps. However, I have discovered that a late afternoon nap and the swing equal a deep sleep!

This afternoon Mackaylan created these crowns for us. Lydia and I had to share so she graciously agreed that I could wear it in the picture. Ha!

A Wonderful Wednesday

2011-07-13T23:11:00.001-04:00

Mackaylan has been participating in “Summer Son” day camp at our church all week. It lasts until noon each day so Lydia and I have used our time in the mornings to run errands and clean the house. Today we went and visited with my parents for a few minutes after we picked Mackaylan up from camp. We are so lucky to be able to live close to both sets of grandparents. It is a blessing in so many ways. They just adore the girls and the feeling is definitely reciprocated!

After lunch, I decided to be productive and tackle one of the many projects on my “to-do” list. Please tell me you have “hot spots” in your house. You know, a place that seems to collect stuff and if you are not careful the entire area will be blazing with clutter! Well, the desk in our bedroom was more of a “forest fire” than a “hot spot” and I had finally had enough…

Before:

After:

Tonight at church Brian Free and Assurance was in concert. Neither Mackaylan nor Lydia were feeling it so we only made it through half of the concert before I decided it would be best the girls headed on home. Mickey stayed for the remainder of the concert so this gave Mackaylan and I time to whip up a batch of muffins and bacon for supper. I know. I know. Betty Crocker better watch out! ha However, it beat eating out and it allowed the girls some time to chill and unwind before bed.

It was a busy, but wonderful Wednesday! :)

Oh, how Pinteresting!

2011-07-13T08:25:00.001-04:00

This summer I have fallen in love with something new….Pinterest. It is so addicting! For those of you who are not familiar with what Pinterest is it is like a huge bulletin board where you can “pin” ideas that you collect from all around the internet. LOVE IT!! However, I am afraid that the ideas I have collected will be like all of my digital pictures- they will never make it out of the computer. So, today I have decided to link up with Michelle over at the Vintage Apple to post an idea I have “pinned” and my personal creation using the idea. If you would like to join Pinterest you have to have an invite to begin and I would be happy to help you with that. All you need to do is leave me a comment with your email address. However, I am warning you: It. is. addicting. Happy pinning!

My Pinterest inspiration:

My creation:

I am going to try to go back and do month 1 and 2 as well so I can have them bound into a book for her 1 year birthday. It will be a neat way to see how she has changed and I think it will make a cute keepsake for her one day.

Happy Wednesday!

Jahpa

2011-07-13T08:09:00.001-04:00

"Jahpa"
aunt
neighbor
teacher
friend
"We're lots of things to each other!"

- Mackaylan (2011)

3 months

2011-07-11T08:27:00.001-04:00

I know I say it every month, but where has the time gone? I can’t believe Lydia is already 3 months old. She is growing and changing so much each and everyday. It’s funny how 3 months in utero seems to creep by, but 3 months in the “real” world flies! Here is a little info. about Lydia Avanelle at this stage of life:

wears 1-2 diapers (as a side note there is nothing like a Pamper!)
wears 3-6 months clothes
eats every 3 hours like clockwork
is very alert
loves to smile and gurgle
has decided that swaddling isn’t for her
is intrigued with the Backyardigans and the Price is Right
loves to play on her back and scoots all around, but has no desire to roll over- she dislikes “tummy time” with a passion
recognizes the faces and voices of those who love her most
loves to suck on her fists
slobbers constantly
is beginning to take a paci
captures the heart of her mommy and daddy each and everyday

Sitting up in her Bumbo! She always seems so amazed with herself!

Lydia loves sitting in her bouncy seat. It amazes me that when we first purchased this it swallowed her up!

Lydia and Mackaylan smiling before we headed out for lunch at one of favorite Mexican restaurants- Broncos!

This post wouldn’t be complete without this picture…..

I just love those big blue eyes! Also, take note of the drool, or as my buddy Brayden likes to say: “She’s drizzling!” Love it!!!

Chick-fil-A Day 2011!

2011-07-10T12:40:00.001-04:00

“Dress Like a Cow Day” at Chick-fil-A is a summer tradition in the O’Shields’ household. This is our 4th year in attendance and I foresee many more in the future. I usually participate myself, but thought since I was a nursing mom I shouldn’t have to dress up like a cow to receive a free chicken sandwich! ha Anyway, here are a few pictures from lunch:

Mr. Cow taking some time away from the kiddos to pose for a shot!

The two cutest cows on the block!

Mackaylan, Lydia, and Maddi

Our herd!

All the excitement wore this little calf out!

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend! I finished up graduate school on Thursday and have celebrated all weekend long! I am looking forward to the upcoming week and spending as much quality time as possible with my girls, and hopefully even making a few meals for the hubs along the away! Happy Sunday!

Chista’s Visit

2011-07-08T16:57:00.001-04:00

This past weekend my roommate from college and her two adorable kiddos came all the way from the state of Virginia to visit. We had a wonderful time catching up and letting the kids play and get to know each other a little more. I wish I wouldn’t have been bogged down with all of my end-of-term school assignments, but we still made time for fun in between studying for a test and completing a take home exam. With four kiddos under the age of 6 in the house we didn’t have a dull moment at all!

Our visit started off with lunch at Chick-fil-A:

After that, we came back to the house for “craft time:”

Them it was off to dinner. We met up with Reisha and her family for some comida Mexicana:

On Saturday we spent the morning at the park and then headed to the pool. Saturday night we went to Pizza Inn and introduced the Thien kids to chocolate chip pizza!!! There are no pics of that momentous occasion because yours truly was too busy indulging! ha

On Sunday night we had dinner at the Caldwells. The kids loved playing outside and the adults enjoyed being together as well. The evening was very memorable from trying to capture a group shot of all of the kids to the making and eating of homemade ice cream to a visitor named SNAKE who wanted to join the fun and slithered into the dining room!!! All in all we had a wonderful time!

As you can see we had a great weekend. I just can’t believe this is the only pic I have of the Gamma girls (and I didn’t even take this one- Chista did!)

Oh well, we will get more next time. Speaking of next time, I guess we will be the ones making the road trip! I can’t wait!

The End is Near….

2011-07-06T20:56:00.001-04:00

As most of my loyal readers know for the past 3 years I have been pursuing my M.Ed. in Educational Leadership. I was afforded this wonderful opportunity through my school district, and to that I am so very thankful.

Completing this degree has been such a team effort. It would not have been possible without all of the help from my family. They have provided endless hours of child care, delicious meals on the nights I had class, and lots of encouragement and understanding. Encouragement to never give up. Understanding as to why the house isn’t always clean, the laundry isn’t always caught up, and homemade meals are few and far between. To that I say THANKS!

So, tonight I will study for my final exam and tomorrow I will rise early, feed Lydia, enjoy a biscuit with my mom and Mackaylan (this is a tradition we started this summer), and head off to class…for. the. last. time.

Happy. Relieved. Proud. What an accomplishment!

Perfect

2011-06-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

No one else will ever know the strength of my LOVE for you.
After all, you're the only one that knows what my heart sounds like from the inside!

I stumbled upon this quote on my new obsession- Pinterest. It makes the perfect caption for this perfect pic of these two perfect people!

Happy Tuesday!

One Special Saturday

2011-06-27T17:09:00.001-04:00

Saturday was a very special day. We started the morning off with breakfast at Fatz Café to support our local high school’s football team. After a delicious breakfast of pancakes, fruit and sausage we headed to the Grand Opening of Toys ‘R Us/Babies ‘R Us. We arrived just in time to meet Barbie:

After a little shopping we headed home to get ready for an afternoon by the pool at Jahpa’s. Our cousins from “Cincinanny” were meeting us there for lunch and swimming.

It was so nice to be able to spend the afternoon with our family. We are hoping to make a tradition each summer. Next summer (unless someone else gets married) we are hoping to meet up somewhere between SC and Ohio for a Cousin’s Weekend. Sounds like a fun tradition to start, don’t ya think?

The Newlyweds

2011-06-25T07:18:00.001-04:00

Last night some of our closest family and friends gathered together for my cousin Grant’s wedding. The bride was beautiful. The groom was handsome. The ceremony was meaningful. Love was in abundance.

I forgot my camera at home, but thank goodness my nephew had his and let me borrow it so I could snap a few shots of this special occasion:

Of course, a Stallard wedding would not be complete without a splash of orange here and there! I just loved the ‘Heather & Grant’ banner and the mason jar centerpieces on the tables.

Everyone was asked to write down a wedding wish for the couple in their guest book. This kind of thing stresses me out because I want to be creative, but also share what’s on my heart. After a little help from my sister and mom I ended up writing an acrostic with the word LOVE.

See the cake? It was beautiful and delicious. However, I quickly learned that cutting and serving cake is not my gift! That’s all I’m going to say about that! :)

The happy couple!

Mom and Dad

Mom and Dad with Mackaylan and Cousin Vanessa from “Cincananny!” Or at least that is what Mackaylan says…

Boyce and Eli

Eli, Boyce, Diego, Miguel, and Andre

I had to post this picture of me and Mick because my mom snapped it. Trust me, that is a big accomplishment for her! LOL!

Congratulations to Heather and Grant! We are so happy for you and wish you many years of love and happiness! XOXOXO

Friday Feature Photo

2011-06-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

What do you call a 6 year old who sleeps with an eye mask and insists on being called Sleeping Beauty as she is tucked in?

..........Give up?............

Mackaylan (or as we say it around here.... Princess Mackaylan!)

And tonight she decided that Lydia could be a princess too. After a few minutes of contemplating an appropraite name she decided Princess Drools-a-Lot would suit her best.

Priceless!

Happy Friday!!

A Thirty-One Kind of Day

2011-06-23T23:03:00.001-04:00

If you have been following my blog for a while then you know that I am a consultant for Thirty-One Gifts. I embarked on this journey in January because I just didn’t have enough on my plate! Ha! Over the course of the past few months, I have discovered that It is a great business opportunity and I love being able to get together with groups of women and do what I love to do most- SHOP!

For the past few weeks I have really been intentional about using my products. I try to carry something with me everywhere I go. This idea is two-fold. First, it is a great way to increase sales because if someone asks about a product I can introduce them to Thirty-One and pass along my business card. Second, by actually using the products in my day-to-day life it allows me to be able to share with my customers a variety of ways they too can use items that appeal to them.

So… without further ado, here is how I used some of my Thirty-One products today:

The Totally Awesome Beach Tote is probably my favorite bag right now. I carry it with me everyday to class. It easily holds everything I need for the morning (with plenty of room to spare!)

I am giving myself lots of points for my use of the next bag: the Mini Metro Retro. I am currently using it to tote my Medela Symphony Breast Pump, and needed supplies, back and forth to class each day. Everything fits perfectly!

Today I used the XXL Everyday Tote to hold all of my non-refrigerated items at the grocery store. Note: XXL means XXL!

Lydia has had several diaper bags in her short little life, but we both just love the Metro Retro. All of the essentials fit inside and the two outside pockets are perfect for bottles, pacifiers (which she doesn’t really like), and my keys and cell phone.

As I mentioned previously, the girls and I went grocery shopping this afternoon. This is the first time in almost 3 weeks! That just goes to show how much cooking has been going on around here. Ha! Anyway, the Fold-n-Go Organizer is perfect for your grocery list, coupons, pens and/or pencils, etc.

Since I am now the mom of a newborn, I don’t use an actual purse. I just slip the Wristlet Wallet down into the diaper bag and out the door we go. It is a perfect fit for my cards, money and the outside pocket holds my cell phone beautifully.

Of course this post wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Large Utility Tote. This is the #1 selling product and I use mine all of the time. Today I carried it with me to the grocery store and put all of the refrigerated items in it. I walked out of Food Lion with $115 worth of groceries in 2 totes! What does that mean? Only one trip and all of the groceries are in the house. Awesome!!

And just so you know…. during the month of June you can purchase a Large Utility for only $9 with every $31 you spend. Everyone is going crazy over this special- myself included! You can take advantage of this great deal by clicking on over to my website to place your order:

http://www.mythirtyone.com/lanaoshields/

What are you waiting for?

PS If you live nearby just shoot me an email or leave a comment if you are interested in placing an order and I can add your order onto one of the catalog shows that I currently have going on and it will save you on shipping! :)

Fun in the Sun with Pop-O

2011-06-22T07:14:00.001-04:00

This summer Mackaylan is eager to learn how to dive. Thanks to Pop-O she will probably master this skill in just a few more weeks. Here are a few shots from her first “lesson:”

After all of that hard work and concentrating it was time for a little fun!

---CANNONBALL---

Who says teachers can’t have a little fun too?

---OFF THE DIVING BOARD---

I. Love. Summer.

Father’s Day Shout Out!

2011-06-21T06:57:00.000-04:00

See this man?

This is the man who brought home ALL of the Barbie and Rockers for his little girl just because. This is the man who taught me to drive on the back roads of Landrum on early Sunday morning drives. This is the man who looked me in the eyes and said, “Nobody loves you like I do” as he walked me down the aisle. And the list could go on. To some he is “Huggy.” To others he is “Sach.” To others , he is “Larry.” To me, however, he is “Dad-” the man who taught me what love is!

See this man?

This is the man who still makes my heart skip a beat when he enters the room. This is the man who brought me flowers and a pack of Rolos just because. This is the man who asked for my hand in marriage one beautiful July day. This is the man who was by my side through back surgery and held my hand during the birth of our two beautiful daughters. And the list could go on. To some he is “Big Red.” To some he is “Mickey.” To me, however, he is “Mick-“ the man of my dreams and the best husband/father these girls could ask for!

See this man?

This is the man who once saved Christmas for his family. This is the man who always sees the good in a situation. This is the man who can make killer BBQ! This is man who gives up his Saturday and Sunday afternoons to be the head pit crew member for #425 Racing! To some he is “Coach O.” To others he is “Mike.” To me, however, he is “Pop-O-“ the man who taught Mickey what it means to be a husband and daddy, and to put his family first at all times!

Happy (Belated) Father’s Day!

You are all loved!